On "Rule" from the classic Stillmatic 2001 album, Nas spit, "…in Hip Hop the weapons are lyrical/to be the best you challenge the best/and the blessings are spiritual…" Comparing herself to Lauryn Hill, this Pittsburgh MC, who, like Nas was born on September 14, should stand back and watch it rain.

Pittsburgh native Lioness sits down with HHNLIVE to discuss the moniker, the lifestyle and the game.


Max Ross-Lioness, how you feeling?

Lioness-I'm well.

MR-How did you turn Lioness into your personality, into your lifestyle?

Lioness-I think it was a very natural transition. I was born a poet, and a writer, and a Griot, the Griot tradition has been in my family forever, I come from a line of women who use the spoken word to heal and uplift and so forth, so it was very natural. I'm a young lioness, period.

MR- What is your music style?

Lioness-I know a lot of people say this but don't understand what it means but I'm old school. I was a b-girl, I was a breaker, I rapped back in the day, my name was Sweet C- It was something we did everyday. We had our ill breaking gear, we would do our graffiti and we would write our raps, and we would compete all over our neighborhood and this was how it was in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is the place aside from the different boros in NY where the hip hop culture has been preserved so much. It's so fresh and so original, and you're judged based on the true hip hop penance of being an MC.

MR- What is your opinion on the state of female rap MC'S? Or lack-thereof.

Lioness-Well, I think, we can't forget Badu was an original MC, when I think about hip hop Maxine, I think about the first female rappers I first heard, Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Boss, Sweet T, MC Lyte, YoYo, so when I think about female MC's today that's who comes up. If I hear a new Trina record, I'm gonna listen to the record, she is on a new record with my brothers, G.O.V, shout out to Trina. When I think about Lil Kim and the way she came out and approached the mic she changed the game, nuff respect to Lil Kim, it feels like the female emcees can be hard but they don't get respect because they always have to go back to the pussy, to the misogyny. It's not just the men engaging us in this conversation; I guess it's easier to just talk about your pussy cause that's what all men are weak for.

MR- How has Pittsburgh shaped your music?

Lioness-Pittsburgh is a very complex city. It's in Pennsylvania, we are right in the region with NY, DC, you know, Philly, New Jersey, but Pittsburgh is a little steel town and it's a valley and most of the cats that are here are focused on the culture. A lot of different cultures which are very segregated, and then you have the sub-cultures, includes, beatnik cats, anarchist cats, punk cats, black conscious cats, Gods and Earths, shit, Christians are a part of this Hip Hop culture, Rastas, and then you got your pure hip hop heads. We are centered around organic hip hop lyrical content. Nobody gets a pass because they have pop appeal. Being in the cipher, from cats hearing and knowing you, that's how you get respect. We know each other's lyrics, there are cats that are out and whether or not they got an album out, I know their lyrics, they are that dope. Poets, definitely. Shadow Lounge, period is our Mecca.

MR- Lionezz mentioned that she is interested in hearing your music and possibly working together, are you willing to extend the same offer? To do a comparison?

Lioness-I think that it's obvious how we are different as far as I'm concerned, anyone who has heard me in the freestyle cipher and heard her on Miss Rap Supreme can tell how we are different. I was given words as my birth right, as my heritage…poetry you dig it? I am an instrument, I use words with harmony and a melodic flow.

MR- What projects are you involved with?

Lioness-My group SolSis, J.Armstead Brown's album Fieldwork is spinnin' in France right now, I was featured on Omar Abdul's album Get Used to It, a lot of different stuff.

MR- Is there anything else you'd like to tell the readers?

Lioness-I pick up where Lauryn Hill left off.

MR-Oh my God…what?

Lioness- Yeah, I'm picking up where Lauryn left off…Period.